The meaning of Remember; Remembrance in the Bible
(From International Standard Bible Encyclopedia)
re-mem'-ber, re-mem'-brans: "Remember" is mostly the translation, in the Old Testament, of zakhar, and in the New Testament of mnaomai (Matthew 5:23; Matthew 26:75; John 2:17, etc.), and of mnemoneuo (Matthew 16:9; Mark 8:18; Luke 17:32, etc.), and "remembrance" the translation of derivatives of these (zekher, anamnesis, etc.). There are a few other words. "To remember" is used of God in remembering persons (Genesis 8:1; Genesis 19:29, etc.), His covenant (Genesis 9:15; Exodus 2:24; Ezekiel 16:60, etc.), in answering prayer (Judges 16:28; Nehemiah 13:14, Nehemiah 13:22; Psalms 20:3, etc.), and in other ways. Men are exhorted to "remember" God's dealings with them, His commandments (Deuteronomy 8:2, Deuteronomy 8:18; Judges 8:34; I Chronicles 16:12, etc.), the Sabbath (Exodus 20:8), etc. A specially solemn command is that relating to the Lord's Supper in Luke 22:19; I Corinthians 11:24-25, "This do in remembrance of me." "Remembrancer" (writer of chronicles) occurs in the King James Version margin of II Samuel 8:16; II Samuel 20:24; I Kings 4:3; I Chronicles 18:15 (text "recorder," the Revised Version margin "chronicler"). In Isaiah 62:6, the Revised Version (British and American) reads, "ye that are Yahweh's remembrancers." the Revised Version (British and American) has frequent changes on the King James Version text, as "have marked" (I Samuel 15:2); "make mention of" (Psalms 20:7; Psalms 77:11; Song of Solomon 1:4); "remember" for "be ye mindful of" (I Chronicles 16:15); "memorial" for "remembrance" (Isaiah 57:8); in the American Standard Revised Version, "to his holy memorial name" (Psalms 30:4; Psalms 97:12, the English Revised Version "to his holy name," margin "Hebrew 'memorial' "); in II Timothy 1:5, "having been reminded of" for the King James Version "call to remembrance," etc.
W. L. Walker
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